


The Craft

by melancholymoons



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Betrayal, F/F, Friendship, POV Alternating, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-06-23 10:39:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15604494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melancholymoons/pseuds/melancholymoons
Summary: Olivia befriends three girls who drag her into a world with which she's already familiar with but begins to see the dark and sinister side to witchcraft. If you had the ability to grant every one of your wishes, would you truly find happiness?





	1. The First Coven

**Author's Note:**

> hello!! As you can see by the title this fic is heavily based upon the film 'The Craft' and if you haven't seen that movie already please do! As always thank you so much for reading, comments are always appreciated and I hope you enjoy!

* * *

_ Olivia _

The grass brushed my skin, tickling the back of my knees as I lay watching the clouds play their game, making new shapes as they merged softly into one another. The sun was at its highest and the warmth touched my face gently making me close my eyes. Right now, would be fourth period science, but instead of testing acids and alkaline we were in the midst of our own experiment.

‘Liv, can you stop daydreaming and actually help us we’re almost ready.’

Yves turned to me, her long hair like the richest black silk fell over he shoulders, her eyes bright and dark held anyone’s attention but it was her lips blood red that settled in a straight line, curved at the ends that scared me most. When she smiled it was as if she knew all your secrets. as if she’d use them against you; it was her greatest weapon. Her beauty was deadly. She spoke with a voice full of charisma, it was thick and sharp but soft and intoxicating. To say she still intimidated me even after all these weeks of friendship was an understatement. I got up and scooted over to where Yves, Chuu and Gowon were sat completing the small circle they’d set up. In the middle was the book that had brought us all together, it was larger than most, I had to carry it two handed. It was heavy, filled with pages of different textures with intricate diagrams and the prettiest handwriting known to man. The leather binding was aged but across the front was strips of string tied with a gem that shone blue in the sunlight but green in the dark. On the grass beside it were several vails, candles of different colours and a large dagger, its point thin and long. As I looked at it I felt uncomfortable Yves hadn’t told us where she’d got it from and no one wanted to press further.

‘I can’t believe we’re finally doing it!’

Chuu beamed that sweet, safe smile that made me again question why she was doing this with us at all. I’d asked her once and she just shrugged, her eyes bright and told me that nothing was more exciting than exploring all the world had to offer. Though I’m convinced Yves has more to do with it.

‘Hands.’

Yves commanded and we each took one other’s hands in our own, the breeze had started to pick up and Yves smiled a low, secret smile. Gowon beside me began to fidget, the cold obviously getting under her skin, her small plump cheeks began to redden and against her pale golden hair she reminded me of one of those ice princesses.

‘Do we have to do this now,’

She said, annoyance in her voice. Yves sighed.

‘We’re all here because of you Olivia, I think you should start it.’

Everyone’s eyes were on me making me feel nervous for the first time since meeting them. It was true though, I was the reason we were together. It was the beginning of the year and I’d just transferred to a new school after an incident that I’d rather try to forget. I’d moved before and was used to not having many friends; I preferred my own company or at least that’s what I told myself. Even when I first arrived I’d heard whispers about these three girls; whispers of the dark, sinister kind. It spread around the school that they were into witchcraft, when my lab partner told me one day I pretended to gasp in shock, horrified at the idea. When they walked through the corridors everyone stared, they tutted and shot dirty looks but the girls with Yves leading the way kept their heads held high, laughing as they went. I won’t lie, there was something pulling me towards them; as if I knew them and they me. My mum used to say we’ve all had previous lives and some souls are so connected that Mother Earth likes to continuously bring them together in the most exciting and unusual ways. It was her who gave me the book that sat in front of us now; it was one of the last things she did ever give me. I took a deep breath.

‘Earth air water fire, Earth air water fire,’

The words slipped effortlessly from me and were accompanied by the girls repeating the same until it all flowed into a chant. A while after we stood again in a circle, the sky was starting to darken, and Yves turned towards me, the dagger in her hand pointed at my chest.

‘It is better that you should rush upon this blade, than enter the circle with fear upon your heart. How do you enter?’

It was a spell that my mother had highlighted, a spell that would bind us to not only each other but to the Earth, to every living being to the Great Being that would supply us with power far beyond our imaginations. There was a little message in my mother’s hand by the side of it, a warning almost to only recite this when I’d truly found my people, those my soul was attached to, in order to become part of the perfect coven. I thought of her once more before I opened my mouth to finish.

‘With perfect love and perfect trust.’

Yves’ smile grew wider as I wrapped my hand around hers holding the dagger, she moved closer and kissed me softly, her lips brushing with heat against my own. I took the dagger from her and turned to Gowon, pointing it at her chest. When we’d come full circle, Yves took the dagger once more and pointed straight to the sky as the clouds began to swirl around it, the wind now whistled through our hair.

‘As above, so below.’

With one swift motion she stabbed the ground strongly. As the evening dawned upon us we had just one more task to complete, with a simple prick of our fingers we each poured the blood and essence of ourselves into the goblet of wine that Chuu had stolen from her parent’s liquor cabinet. After taking a swig of our sisters and asking for what we desired in our hearts it was finally complete. We were a coven, one that would love and respect the Earth and in return it would grant us the necessary ability to tap into the natural power that flew through it. We all smiled at one another, finally feeling more connected than ever. I’d never had a group of friends like this, I’d never had sisters. I’d never had anyone who understand the connection to the occult my mother had passed onto me but now I had three members of a coven, three friends for life and nothing could ever come between us. Nothing.


	2. The Morning After

* * *

_ Chuu _

When I woke up the next morning my head felt lighter and my room seemed brighter almost fuzzy as if everything in it was alive and beating. I swung my legs over my bed and reached for my glasses; they felt cold in my hands and as I pressed them to my sleepy face, colours blurred. I blinked twice trying to get the rest of the nights sleep from my eyes but again when I opened them my room was just a blob of shapes and not the organised mess of books and plushies as usual. I stumbled to the en-suite and stared into the mirror. The girl before me was just a dark outline and I paused for a moment and thought about last night. When we did the ritual that Yves wanted to, when we made the vows to Earth and asked for our deepest desires. To be honest I’d read a hundred books with witches and magic of all sorts and when Yves asked me if I’d be apart of this with her, Gowon and the new girl Olivia I didn’t hesitate. Yves was in fact the first person to ever introduce me to witchcraft and wicca. I pulled the black frames from my face and as if the world was wiped clean I could see everything with perfect clarity. Ever since I was little I’d always worn glasses and I’d always been teased for it too. Even my mother called me her little bookworm, not that it was an insult just they held more of my own identity than I myself did and I started to hate them for it. Yves once said, as we were sat in the back of the library hiding from the usual pretty girl posse, that I’d look stronger if I didn’t wear them. I smiled bigger than ever before and continued to touch my face softly noticing for the first time – myself. My eyes were bigger and brighter, my face round and small even all the acne had disappeared. My auburn hair was bouncy and full and with excitement buzzing through me I ran back to my room, pulled off the pink bunny pjs and turned to my wardrobe. With this new-found confidence I reached for a skirt a little shorter than normal, stockings and boots with a heel I’d only worn once to a family wedding. I lined my eyes a little darker and painted my lips with glitter, blowing myself a kiss before grabbing my bag and heading for the door.

I came to the corner just around the school gates, it was hidden by over growing Wisteria whose soft lilac seemed especially pretty to me now. I took one in my hand and rubbed the soft petals until I felt a tap on my shoulder.

‘Chuu? No way! It worked for you too.’

Gowon pushed my shoulder playfully, I blushed a little as she told me I looked really good and then took a closer look at her. The change in her was obvious, her pale blonde locks were now black like the night that could hold a thousand stars, it hung straighter than usual clashing so painfully against her porcelain skin; she looked older. She had always hated her blonde hair, she said it made her appear weak, too sweet and childlike and if there was one thing Gowon hated it was others underestimating her. She had gotten taller too, her black dress with white fringed collar came mid-thigh.

‘Can you believe it?’

She was saying again now in a hushed voice, I shook my head and saw Olivia crossing the street I waved over to her. She didn’t look any different but when she stood by us the Wisteria bloomed fuller and the aura I felt off her was something so strong and compelling I had to take a small step away.

‘You guys look great,’

She said in her usual low hushed voice, Gowon did a twirl and continued to gush about how cool it was and how we have to do more things with these new powers – if we even had powers. We waited another five minutes, kids in huge groups were filing into the school courtyard and I began to worry. Yves was never late. As the final stragglers made their way in just as the final bell went we all looked at one another.

‘Is she sick?’ Olivia asked.

‘She doesn’t get sick.’ I said with a little too much strain in my voice.

‘She’s probably just fretting over an outfit. We should go though I don’t fancy our chances against Mrs Jeon.’

Gowon fixed the strap on her back pack and started to walk past me around the corner and to the gate when I caught a glimpse of someone coming down the road. The way they walked was as if storm clouds could move but the closer they got the more my heart settled. Yves got closer to us and the dangerous grey around her lightened and she smiled that heart wrenching smile and stood before us.

‘Well, what a change.’

Her voice sounded tired, but she covered it up with more smiles and then she gave me a soft glance.

‘Ditched the glasses I see?’

My cheeks reddened more but she didn’t stop to notice, she moved past us and on cue we followed, sneaking into the yard just as the gates were being shut.

‘So, what happened to you?’ Gowon started. ‘What changes did you ask for? Did they happen? You don’t look any different.’

Yves’ forehead creased, and her eyebrows sharpened, her whole body going tense but then in a second she was back to her breezy self.

‘We’re going to be late.’

Was all she said. We walked side by side through the busy corridor passing as every pair of eyes watched us, I could have sworn I heard gasps and for the first time I felt really alive. Like, the type of alive that drives you crazy, that you could never get enough of. People had always starred at the three of us but now with Olivia by our side and our new found connection to power, it was fear I saw in their eyes.


	3. The First Spell

* * *

_ Gowon _

I tapped my pen to the beat of the ticking clock as the teacher at the front droned on about history I had no intention of learning about. Since sitting down at my desk towards the back of the classroom I’d had several people compliment my new change and others making sure not to get too close; I felt powerful. Of course, all that had happened was something superficial like enhancing my looks but something else about me was different. It was like the history trying to be taught to me I already knew, I felt connected to everything in the world and I buzzed with excitement. I looked passed the frizzy hair that obstructed my view of the board and straight at the clock above it. Only ten more minutes to lunch. The longer I stared the more it began to jump from the wall, its long black hands almost stretching out to me. I cocked my head to the side and the breeze from the small crack in the window next to me picked up and whispered its secrets through my hair. A shiver ran down my spine and I didn’t even check to see if anyone was watching I just focused my attention on the ticking hands of time. As I blew out a breath the sharp ring of the lunch bell clouded my mind and everyone around began to lift from their seats.

‘Huh, that was a quick ten minutes.’

The teacher said confused as groups of teens moved their way past her. My stomach felt light and as I made my way out of the classroom I smiled to myself, was that a spell I just did? It was almost as if the wind had put the words in my brain, willing me to say them and then suddenly time had passed. When I got to the willow tree at the end of the school yard, the girls were already waiting for me.

‘God you do look so much better with that dark hair,’

Yves said, I burned a little under her gaze. I crossed my legs and got ready to gush about the exciting new thing I just did when Chuu beat me to it.

‘So, I was in the library,’

‘Yawn’,

Yves rolled her eyes but smiled playfully and I could see Chuu freeze up a little, though she continued.

‘I thought I should do some research on what we’ve got ourselves into and just well, I was on a free what else would I do? And there was a book I needed but it was too high up and well,’

She blushed again to herself.

‘All I did was think about it and before I knew it, it was in my hands.’

I told them then what had happened in History too and for half of lunch we just talked about us having powers, we laughed as groups walked past staring at us, trying to avoid eye contact. In half a day rumours had spread that we’d done a sacrifice, most people didn’t believe it of course but those with little IQs certainly made it evident that they did. Lunch came and went but we skipped our fourth and fifth periods and went down to the creek where we first initiated our ritual the night before.

‘I have a plan,’

Yves was beaming, her smile sly and enticing, I have to admit I hated when she got that look on her face. I sat by Chuu watching her as she unpacked the mass of books she’d acquired from the library, notes fell out with them and she quickly gathered them up and shoved them back in her bag.

‘What is it?’

She asked Yves, eyes twinkling.

‘We’re going to show this school what we’re really made of.’

I felt a tug in my stomach and looked over to Olivia who was physically uncomfortable, she shifted on the ground, but Yves stood in the middle her eyes burning down on the dark haired girl.

‘And you’re going to do it for us, Olivia.’

Yves pulled a large rolled up poster from her bag and upon unravelling it we saw slashes of dark red pen, circles repeatedly drawn around familiar faces. At the top it read ‘Revenge List’ and she waited for our response. It was always her who was most effected by the way we were treated, especially before Olivia came to the school, she wasn’t this stunningly lethal, confident person she presented herself as now. There were nights where she would call me and Chuu crying, nights where we had to keep watch over her until she left for a whole summer and when she came back she was completely new. She’d made us swear never to mention the girl before that break away, where no one knew where she went, and we didn’t, we never have.

‘You’re not serious, are you?’

Olivia scoffed but there was a hint of fear in her voice, she nervously put a thick strand of her shiny hair behind her ear.

‘Deadly.’

Yves sat before us, reaching around in her bag again.

‘And we’re going to start with this.’

She pulled a long strand of pastel pink hair from the bag, its texture soft and light almost looking like candy floss, I gasped.

‘That’s- That’s not what I think it is right.’

I asked her, although I already knew it was. Chuu furrowed her brows pulling her rucksack to her chest as Yves laid the hair on the grass.

‘We’re going to show ViVi that she can’t mess with us anymore.’

Yves sounded excited, hell her face was practically glowing. She then told us how she’d had a little run in with ViVi, who was by all accounts the Schools most valuable student, she was everything Yves hated in the world. Whether it would be tripping us up in the corridor or that time she made the entire school ignore us for a week Yves never forgot it, she’d keep that pain and humiliation bubbling inside her and I guess it was ready to burst.

‘I’ve got the spell here and all I need you to do Olivia is cast it, the extra ingredients are at mine, so you can all come over tonight.’

‘I’m not doing that.’ Olivia said coldly. ‘This isn’t what witchcraft is about.’

The hurt on her face was clear but I wasn’t sure why, she covered it up quickly making Yves scowl.

‘You’re one of us now, aren’t you? We’re sisters and when your sisters are in trouble, wouldn’t you do all you can to help them?’

Her voice was soft and scary, but her eyes remained intent on Olivia, she handed her the scrap of paper she’d obviously scribbled the spell on. Chuu had asked where she had got it from, probably wanting to do more of her boring research but Yves had shrug her off.

‘Why don’t you just do it yourself Yves?’

Olivia stared back at her with fire in her eyes and Yves froze a little under her gaze.

‘I need the strongest caster and it’s obvious that’s you.’

There was a long silence, Yves had asked us to back her up and of course we did, not that I cared much. Sure, ViVi was a pain but all kids in high school were and I just got over it, but Yves had done more for me than I could ever say and my loyalty to her was second to none. So, whatever she asked of me I complied, no matter how much I didn’t want to. Chuu didn’t need asking, she never did. Olivia kept refusing and it was starting to grate on my nerves, we’d welcomed her to our group, we’d become a Coven together and we’d been given these powers for a reason I guess it wouldn’t hurt to use them for our benefit. Night was starting to come over us and tired, Olivia finally gave in, to the great relief of Yves who suddenly jumped up, taking Olivia’s hand in her own smiling that Yves smile.

‘Then what are we waiting for weirdos.’


	4. Result's in the Spell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies I just want to post a little warning that there will be some mentions of death and other dark themes from here on out! please take care when reading and if these things bother you please don't put yourself through them. If not then carry on and i hope you enjoy!

* * *

_ Olivia _

Yves room was everything I expected and nothing I could have imagined. No one was home when we got there, it was dark, and she just took us upstairs without checking around. It was way smaller than I thought, sirens blasted in the area every five minutes and to be honest she looked out of place in such an environment. Nonetheless her room was fully furnished with soft black fabrics draped on the walls, a huge dressing table ornate with silver fairy designs and a large mirror that glistened in the candle light. Her bed was a pile of red and purple cushions, there were books on the floor scattered with bits of paper and jewellery. After a while of eating snacks Chuu brought and playing with Gowon’s hair as she scrolled through Pinterest, Yves called us to attention and despite my hopes that the evening would make her forget the sordid plan she relentlessly grabbed my hand and pulled me to the centre.  She dragged a small rusted cauldron from under her bed, it made me think of my mums and how I used to love sitting in front of it, watching as she would sprinkle the homegrown ingredients, the fire warming her face…

‘You ready?’

Yves thrust the strand of ViVi’s hair into my hand and I stiffened feeling the soft threads of pink under my palm. Chuu crawled up to us shyly.

‘I – I checked the spell we’re doing, and I sort of got to the idea to um not change it, but I don’t know enhance it I guess?’

She handed the small piece of paper to Yves who scanned over it, when she looked back up she smiled at Chuu and my heart twinged a little seeing how happy it made her.

‘As expected of our little bookworm.’

Yves shot her a look that I presume was loving but Chuu’s blush didn’t look like it was one and the same, she sunk back besides Gowon and we took our places in a circle on the floor. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my heartbeat and then on the sounds around me; the hooting of a night owl, the breeze rustling though the leaves. Feeling the way the earth was sending its energy through my body and my hands joining me to my coven sisters, feeling their energy, their words in my head. Together we poured our all into the contents Yves had put into the small cauldron, leaving the hair for last. I began to recite the spell Chuu had written.

_‘Mother Earth and the Great Being,_

_We call for you and hope you’re hearing,_

_An enemy we hope to spite,_

_If only you could show them light,_

_We ask for your help in punishing,_

_Drive out their awful meaning.’_

We each pictured ViVi and chanted her name until the last strand of hair was burned out and the smoke rose above us, saying our thanks we let go our hands and blew out the candles around the circle. There was a calm quiet. I felt good, like really good. It seemed we all did, we let out a laugh and collapsed upon one another smiling and feeling more connected than ever. We’d cast our first spell together and it was incredible. The weekend came and went, we’d been shopping in a local Wicca store, restocking on black candles and sage. Gowon was chatting to the owner and I saw Yves slip a black book into her jacket pocket, I looked away and tried to forget the part of me that wanted to call her out, but she caught my eye and winked.

On Monday morning, School was quiet, eerily so. I found my way to the girls who were standing by Chuu’s locker, huddled together. I could sense something was wrong the moment I saw them, they were whispering aggressively together.

‘What’s up?’

I asked feeling their eyes burn into me, Chuu and Gowon looked pale although Yves still looked polished and perfect as usual.

‘You haven’t heard?’

Gowon was saying quieter than ever and I had to bend down to hear her more, I was confused. I hadn’t heard anything but everyone in the hallway was sullen as if there was a dark cloud storming above us all. I gave her a raised eyebrow.

‘ViVi’s dead.’

Chuu barely said it in a breath. I felt my stomach drop and sweat droplets gathering upon my hair line, this wasn’t possible what did she mean dead?

‘She was in a car crash yesterday.’

Gowon fidgeted uncomfortably, and I looked around again at the faces that were now covered in grief, I felt sick.

‘We did it.’ Chuu started. ‘With our spell.’

‘That can’t be.’

I stuttered in my head trying to convince myself it wasn’t us because if it was then it all came down to me didn’t it? I was the caster, I lead the spell and it was my words that brought the tragedy upon her. If my mum was here to see this she-

‘Why are you guys sad?’

Yves said coldly, her eyebrows were furrowed in annoyance.

‘She was a bitch.’

Chuu turned and gasped at her.

‘That doesn’t mean we wanted her dead!’

‘Maybe that wasn’t our intention, but don’t you see, we’re more powerful than we ever imagined. We can do so much more now. Besides with ViVi gone our lives here are easier and I’m sure we’re not the only ones. We’ve done the world a favour.’

I couldn’t believe Yves was saying these things, saying them with her seductive eyes and blood lined lips. I felt my heart grow heavy but at the same time there was something else niggling at me – the feeling of importance, of power and how good it felt to know that I had managed to cause something so big. Sure, I felt bad but seeing the girls not so bothered made me realise that they were right in some ways, we had never explicitly asked for her death and if the Great Being had made that so then maybe it was a good thing. Gowon shrugged, her black hair falling against her white dress.

‘Guess Gym will be a lot better now.’

The bell rang, and Yves turned on her heels, the pleats of her skirt flowing with her every movement she turned her head towards me, scanning me with questioning eyes.

‘You coming?’

And I had a feeling that was not just a question about going to class.  


	5. Love is but a Spell

* * *

 

_ Chuu _

We didn’t think much of ViVi after her accident, school was easier, we were left to ourselves and it was bliss compared to before. It had been weeks since our first spell and we’d done hundreds more; simple ones like levitation were Gowon’s favourite – she’d become what the book I’d lived by called a Gray Witch someone who believed magic neither took nor gained. They were completely neutral although she would help us out of course whenever we’d cast a more asking spell. Olivia had grown more confident, she walked with power behind her, everyone was either terrified of her or in love with her which was clearly to Yves’ dismay although she never said it. But Olivia could never be Yves, she could never hold the same intimidating beauty and aura Yves had. Speaking of, Yves had moved from her old place into a nice big spacious penthouse, she was a bit sketchy on how this happened, she hadn’t asked us to do a spell, but Olivia was convinced magic was at play. Plus, Yves never talked about her step dad anymore.

I was sat in the back of the library in my usual spot, back against the shelves of books I’d been leaning on for the past hour, pen marks all over my hands when I reached in the bottom of my bag for the secret notebook I’d kept for the past few weeks. Inside were scrawled pages of my handwriting and scribbles of spells I’d come up with myself. I ran my hand over the front feeling myself smile; I’d really grown accustomed to learning about witchcraft, it made me feel so wise and truly showcased the power of words. I looked around to see if anyone was watching and took the bookmark from the old black book Yves had ‘acquired’ weeks prior, just from the look of it you could tell this was no ordinary book on witchcraft. It was bound so tightly with leather that it was hard to open, the pages were rough and stained, the writing done by hand. Its smell was that of burning cedar wood and liquorice. Upon opening it one night we read the first page which was a warning – one that meant if we read from this book there was no going back. Black magic. I had in my hands tracing a finger along the top of the page I’d marked.

_‘Spell of Eternal Love’_

Olivia had told us that her Mum had warned her never to sway to the dark side of magic; that there were certain rules to maintain if we were to respect the art of it. Those were never to make oneself immortal, never raise the dead and never make anyone fall in love with you. The last one I thought was odd for what reason would love be so bad? I’d thought about it over and over whether it was true what this book said, that those of us destined to practice black magic were forever tainted and would wholeheartedly pay the price of it. Was it worth it? Biting my lip, I reached for my purse, taking out the small photo of me and Yves on one of the first days we ever hung out. We were both smiling so bright, her arm wrapped around my shoulder pressing me to her. I held it to my chest feeling the rush of excitement I did whenever I saw her. I had a crush. It was true. Yves was so strong and important, and I was small and unrememberable, she’d never seen me as anything more than her nerdy little friend. I’d written a spell, of course I had, and I already had the ingredients stated in the black magic book I just wasn’t sure I could do this. I wasn’t a strong caster like Olivia or Yves and I’d never done a spell by myself but telling the others was out of the equation so there was only one option.

After packing up my things I avoided the others, ignoring their calls and went straight home locking myself in my room. That night I drew the curtains, sprinkled salt in a pentagram on the floor, lit black candles and gathered everything I needed. I placed the picture from my wallet in the centre, sprinkling pink rose petals about and crossed my legs holding my hands with palms facing down. Closing my eyes, I began to think of Yves and recited my own spell feeling my body shake.

_‘May the Goddess hear my plea,_

_If this love is meant to be,_

_Turn my lovers’ heart to me,_

_As I do will, so mote it be.’_

There was a strong sweet smell accompanied by a hushed whisper that brushed against my ear sending shivers through my spine. I took that as a sign that my request had been heard and gathered up the stuff I had used. That night I slept better than ever, feeling the weight of my feelings for Yves fly off into the world above, knowing that when I woke up she would see me, like really see me.

Walking to school the next day I felt a funny fluttering in my stomach which made me feel a little uneasy I assumed this was just nerves to see whether my first spell alone had worked. Upon seeing Olivia, she instantly pulled me aside with a sullen look on her face.

‘What did you do?’

She spoke quietly but her voice was more serious than I had ever heard it, I tried to hide any evidence of last night from my face.

‘What are you talking about?’

I shrugged her off trying to sound a little annoyed, she let me go but I could feel her eyes peering straight through me, reading me like an open book. Gowon and I walked to English, leaving Olivia behind and took our seats in the desks at the back watching as the other students avoided our gazes. She leaned across to me and asked me why I hadn’t taken their calls last night and that I’d missed seeing Olivia do some transformation tricks or something. Of course, I lied saying I was sick and lifted up and empty pouch saying there were some herbs in it. She shook her head and turned to the front. Yves was in our class too and my heart was already rapidly beating just thinking about her walking through the doors. Usually I would feel a little happier, but this was the most intense I’d ever felt surely if this was affecting me so much then it would have worked on her right? I felt her before I could even see her so much so, I almost jumped out of my seat. She came walking in almost as if the breeze was making her glide, as if the sun followed her footsteps, flicking her dark straight hair behind her, smiling at us- at me.  She sat directly in front of me not saying anything, with her back to me I itched to tap her small shoulders, to feel her skin under mine making me clench my fists. How could she not want to speak to me? She had sat straight down, and the lesson had started like it did every other day. My heart sunk so low I thought it had fallen right to the bottom of me, that it was so heavy I’d never be able to pick it back up again. My mind buzzed with anger and frustration all in a soft haze of pink, feeling her so near to me. I decided I’d just have to speak to her next period, just have to wait a little longer for her love to return to me.


	6. Unwanted Attention

* * *

_ Gowon _

Chuu was definitely acting weird, weirder than usual. Whenever Yves moved, she moved which was always the case really but this time it was more; it was as if Yves was the breath she needed to live. Our popularity had soared within the weeks of our witchcraft, people knew our names and called us that instead of the freaky foursome or whatever they’d come up with. It felt odd. I mean this was what we had always wanted but when the boys who used to pick on me started winking and asking for my number, my repulsion grew to explosive proportions. How pathetic and fickle must they be to suddenly be interested in someone, the very same someone they chastised, now they had power? Their catcalls down the hallway only fuelled my hatred towards them. I’d even asked Olivia one evening if she knew any spell that might, I don’t know, make them disappear but she’d droned on again for several minutes about the rules of magic bla bla bla.  Yves was willing though, her eyes lit up when I mentioned the idea, she took me to the side and told me there were ways I could do it, ways that wouldn’t compromise the coven whatever that meant. I wasn’t interested in small spells like giving me extra money or longer time to stay in the karaoke room, they seemed trivial, but I was always willing to help my sisters.

I had started walking home on my own after school, feeling a little tired with the day and honestly, I didn’t want to see anymore of Chuu fawning over Yves. Her crush was cute at first and I’d always encouraged her to tell Yves how she felt but now it was just overbearing. I’d started the long monotonous walk down the darker alley that was the shortest way to my house, I’d have usually felt my heartbeat quicken with my footsteps but now it was more of a chore than a task I’d have to overcome. No one usually came down this way due to how off putting the dark and twisted bare branched entrance made it seem, so I had no fear of bumping into any dodgy characters. Besides, I had some protective techniques of my own now. I was reaching the midpoint where a small crack in a fence let a little light shine through when I saw shadows start to grow taller than the usual plants, feeling the scent of their awful cologne stick to my skin.

‘No other girls I know come down this way,’

His voice was thick and sleazy, I rolled my eyes.

‘Good job I don’t know you then isn’t it. Now can you get out of my way.’

I took a step forward but two of his friends, each at least a foot taller than me blocked my way causing me to stumble back a little. Chris moved from where his back was leant against the fence, kicking stones as he smirked and stood before his two sidekicks; he was the most popular and wanted boy at our school and of course he was the one who always started the picking on me, making me hate him the most. He had blonde hair that he caked in gel, a few spots around his jaw where stubble had just started to grow.

‘Gowon, please I just want to talk,’

He sounded sincere almost which made my skin crawl, he ran a hand over his greased up hair and I could sense the nerves shaking his hands a little. I liked that I intimidated him, but it wasn’t enough for him to leave me alone.

‘I like that you dyed your hair, it- suits you much better. You know I’ve always found you pretty cute shame you hang around with those freaks.’

I clenched my fists by my sides and took several deep breaths.

‘That’s so funny because how I remember it is you used to make my life a living hell. If that’s how you treat the girls you like then maybe you should ask Skeeter here for some pointers; he seems to repulse them less.’

I pointed to the shorter, plumper guy behind him who turned an unattractive shade of red, he creased his forehead and Chris turned to me physically angered.

‘I’m just saying, if we were together you wouldn’t have to worry about that anymore.’

His persistence was ridiculous, and I was losing my patience, sensing this he took several paces forward almost touching me, his breath too hot on my face making my stomach churn. He grabbed my hand and held it tight I could feel the anger that was inside him, anger that he was so used to getting everything he wanted and here I was, not interested. I shook against him violently trying to free myself, feeling my own rage battle against his. We fought like this for a little while until an unexpected cyclist broke it up. From further away I knew who it was, and the relief washed over me almost making me cry out loud, she stopped her bike by my feet, lifting the front of her floppy straw hat from her face. The woman from the Wiccan shop looked at me and then to the group of boys who seemingly backed away quickly, her presence had scared them away so much so that they picked up their backpacks and ran the other way without even saying anything or giving me another look.  After the encounter the woman from the shop we frequently went to drove me home and as I sat on the back of her bike I was overcome with embarrassment, with hatred and sadness that I could feel the storm brewing within me. She dropped me off and gave me another apologetic look and told me that no matter how I much I hurt revenge was never the answer.

I slammed my bedroom door shut feeling my blood boil and let out a long-awaited cry feeling my face flush. How dare they make me feel this way? How dare he feel like he owned me, no one owned me. I pushed everything off my desk in one aggressive swoop hearing it all crash to the floor, I took the page Yves had ripped from the black magic book and pressed into my hands, on the wood in front of me. I too then ripped a page from my notebook and scrawled Chris’ name in huge big letters across it, rummaging around for a black candle that was essential it seemed to any darker spells and burned the edges of the paper. I thought hard about what to say, knowing that if I crossed this line there was no going back and that all my time of believing magic was neutral would come to an end. I felt his sweaty hands gripping mine and my mind was made up.

_‘I desire for this world in which I live,_

_To be free of Chris Hooker,_

_So that he may never see or talk to me again,_

_As I do will, so mote it be.’_

My sleep that night felt blissful it came to me easily and peacefully and the next morning I woke with a spring in my step. I had completely forgotten about the spell I’d cast the night before and when I met up with the other girls, Chris Hooker didn’t cross my mind once. We sat under the stairwell by English and I decided I’d tell them about what had happened yesterday no matter whether Olivia kicked up a fuss, I felt proud of myself. I began to talk about how Chris and his friends had cornered me on the way home when their faces suddenly contorted in different shapes of confusion.

‘Wait, who’s Chris?’

Chuu asked me, her face was still with no signs of flushed cheeks that she usually got when she was lying or joking.

‘Oh c’mon, Chris, literally the biggest name in the school. The guy that ‘accidentally’ spilt his coke over you in front of the entire canteen that day.’

She shook her head and the confusion grew stronger, I looked at the others and they took had no idea what I was talking about.

‘Skeeters friend!’

‘Skeeter? You mean that loser? He has no friends Gowon, he never has. Did you have a weird dream last night or?’

Yves watched me closely and the sudden realisation hit me hard in the chest, feeling for the burnt scrap of paper between my fingertips. Had I completely erased him from this planet? I know I hated him and I was glad of this, but something felt wrong, like I’d committed a crime that no one else knew about. With a few simple words and actions, I’d made someone, a living life disappear. The power felt great and no matter how conflicted I felt I couldn’t ignore it.


	7. A Familiar Warning

* * *

_ Olivia _

They thought I wouldn’t have noticed and that was their first mistake, partaking in black magic was their second. It was evident with the discomfort on Gowon’s face when we mentioned we’d never heard of this Chris that something had happened, and it would take the blind to not realise Chuu was under the influence of something magic. She’d sit there twitching, her whole body shaking with anticipation of seeing Yves, she’d called me once at 2am asking if I’d spoken to her and what I think Yves would like for lunch the next day. The voice in my head, belonging to my mother, kept telling me things were wrong, shouting at me that I had to stop them. But, how could I do that when they were the only friends I’d ever had? I was a part of something when I was with them and all my life that’s all I’d ever wanted. So, when I saw Chuu physically pained sitting by Yves, I swallowed it up, and when Gowon started picking on this Skeeter who was apparently a friend of this ‘Chris’ I kept quiet.

One Saturday we were back in the small Wiccan shop, tracing the spines of books with my fingers as I walked along the shelves, the owner came up to me. She was a tall woman, slim with only the small grey hairs on her scalp giving away her age; she wore long dresses made of purple and green patterns. Bracelets jangled when she moved, gracing her arms all the way to the elbows, she came up to me without me sensing, like a silent soft breeze through a woodland forest.

‘You are keen on magic?’

She said her voice sultry and low almost like calm ocean waves. I turned to her and nodded although I knew she knew I was.

‘You have a powerful energy my dear.’

Turning to face me I could see her holding out her hand readying it for taking mine, I gladly complied and felt her warm skin touch my palm. Intently she studied the lines of my hand, reading the secrets they held and then she clasped her other one over it and looked at me dead in the eye, smiling gently.

‘I knew your mother.’

I felt my breath hitch in the back of my throat, ignoring that the girls were busy laughing and probably stealing some other things.

‘How?’

‘Come with me.’

I didn’t hesitate, I followed the woman through beaded curtains and into the back of the store, there was a table laid out with bowls, crystals and all other essential tools for a witch. We stopped by her alter and she picked up a framed picture and handed it to me. The picture was old, I could just make out the woman beside me, she was tall when she was younger too but her hair that she tied up now was longer, almost waist length with coloured feathers intertwined with it. She was in a forest it seemed, there were fairy lights and a group of people surrounding her, I noticed then that there was someone familiar. On the other side of the owner was a young girl, her hair dark and her smile a little smaller than everyone else’s; my chest tightened as I stared at what I thought was my reflection. Reading my mind, the woman spoke.

‘Yes, you surprised me too. You really do look like your mother.’

‘What is this?’

I asked her, feeling overwhelmed with emotions and I kept staring at my mother seeing her around my age, her being surrounded my likeminded individuals, seeing her happy.

‘We were so young back then; the world was big, and we couldn’t wait to explore it. Your mother was part of a group,’

‘Like a coven?’

‘Yes, I suppose so. We discovered a lot about ourselves and each other through our introduction with Wicca.’

I could feel her memories as if they were my own; feel her nostalgia and longing for better times.

‘She was always the most powerful out of us.’

My cheeks flushed remembering when Yves said I was the strongest caster.

‘As I sense you are.’

The woman turned to me again this time taking both of my hands in hers, holding them tightly she looked at me seriously and I could feel the importance in what she was about to say.

‘I know how important it is to belong my girl, but you should not compromise who you are to do so. Those girls have dabbled in the dark and I fear their repercussions will soon come to reap and take you with them. You must sever ties and do a cleansing ritual. It isn’t too late.’

She was whispering so quickly I felt my head spin with the words she was throwing at me if it wasn’t for the clinking of beads hitting together I fear she would have continued and my head would have become so light I would have fainted. Gowon was by the curtain giving us a questioning look.

‘Uh, Yves has a few things, we’re ready to pay.’

I felt both mine and the woman’s bodies react in shock at the fact they were going to actually pay, and we quickly rushed back to the front of the store. The woman totalled up the content of Yves’ purchase and we left, feeling her eyes and words cover me in a haze of confusion. When we were outside Gowon asked me, what was going on when she interrupted us.

‘Oh nothing,’ I shrugged. ‘She was just getting me to try and buy some incense.’

‘She’s so weird. Too bad she’s the only shop in town we can buy from.’

Yves was smiling brighter than usual today, she glowed with something iridescent and I tried to ignore the little niggling of annoyance and suspicion that was eating at me whenever she looked at me. We made our way to the small cove where we usually cast our spells armed with an array of supplies and overnight gear, unaware of what was to come.


	8. Invoking the Wrong

* * *

 

_ Chuu _

We followed Yves a little past our usual spot shrouded by bushes and further to where the sea met the land, she stopped at the entrance to a small cave almost and opened her arms out wide smiling as she breathed in the fresh air. She looked so pretty with the cave shadows dancing across her face it was almost unbearable, and I tried to forget that we weren’t alone. We unpacked our stuff, mostly casting tools, a few blankets, something to start a fire and of course I wouldn’t have come without snacks; I’d brought Yves’ favourites. When we had finished setting up for the night ahead we waited for the setting sun to grace us with its presence and Yves finally told us what we were doing there.

‘Ladies tonight we cross the line from ordinary witchcraft to something so much more.’

Her voice was so loud in my head it pounded against my skull driving me closer to her; breathing in that scent of wild flowers that clung to her skin.

‘We’re going to invoke the Spirit.’

You could feel the realisation crash down upon Olivia, almost hear it. She twitched beside me almost making me miss the next few things Yves was saying and for a split second the most violent thought crossed my mind.

‘You’re not serious, are you?’

Olivia was wrapped up with Gowon in a blanket her face had paled even more so than the coming moonlight, I could see she was turning something over in her mind as if having a conversation with herself. Yves stiffened and then walked to the corner of the cove that was covered in black and carried out a number of cages and jars. There was a large old cage with a small plump bluebird in it that seemed to chirp at her touch of the metal bars, a moth and tiny snake in two separate jars placed at her feet and a smaller one filled with water containing a goldfish like you’d win at a fair.

‘Deadly.’

Olivia stood up then throwing the blanket off of her, she was staring at Yves a little too much for my liking that I instinctively stood behind her. There was disappointment and disgust written all over Olivia’s face and I only felt confusion at her anger.

‘You can’t play with these things Yves.’

Her fists were clenched by her sides and she looked up to the sky and then down again at her hands.

‘Who says? You?’

Yves scoffed, and I felt my heart race.

‘Do you think you’re the only one with real power here? We gave that to you. If it wasn’t for us you’d still be that lonely nobody still hung up over her mother’s death.’

There was a sharp intake of breath and I couldn’t tell whose it was and then there was the loud crack of thunder above us.

‘You don’t understand this goes way beyond what we’ve been doing here.’

The concern in Olivia’s voice seemed genuine but the fact she was undermining Yves was too much for me to handle, she didn’t have the right to even speak to her.

‘Magic is neither black or white Yves, it is neutral. Gowon you understand this right?’

We each turned to Gowon who had been quiet all evening, she squirmed uncomfortable under the blanket and then looked back up at Olivia almost shyly.

‘I don’t know anymore…Things are different know.’

‘You feel good, don’t you? After getting rid of Chris?’

Yves turned to her softly and Gowon nodded. I felt my heart pull towards the way she looked at Gowon and I knew my face was burning up; I tried to calm myself down, but I was physically shaking just being beside her.

‘This isn’t what I wanted. This isn’t what a coven should be. We can’t do this.’

Olivia was stepping forward to us slightly, pleading almost.

‘We can’t, or you can’t?’

There was so much edge to Yves’ voice that it would have made even the strongest fall to their knees.

‘You’re either with us Olivia or you’re not and if you’re not then you’re against us. And god only knows you’ll need more than a sweet warning from that little weak woman in the shop.’

She said the last part so softly I fell into her words, feeling myself float down the river of her body, her mind, her very being; losing myself completely the dark abyss that was Yves. I almost missed the shock that flashed across Olivia’s face; she looked at me and then at Gowon her eyes begging us to see or understand that this something we could not come back from. I knew she was coming from a good place but all I could think about was Yves, Yves, Yves, Yves,

Yves.

Yves, Yves, Yves.

                             Yves.

Yves, Yves.

 

      Yves. Yves.                                   Yves. Yves.

                                  Yves.

My head was so light and heavy at the same time; I needed to be by her side for longer, to be closer than humanly possible. I would follow her anywhere, into any dangers and there was no chance in Hell I’d leave her here right and now. Olivia sighed heavily, she picked up her things and pushed past us heading towards the beach. She turned and looked at us one last time, her head hung with so much sadness and her voice came out low and soft.

‘Just remember, whatever you send out you get back times three.’

And then she was gone and there was the original three of us again, Yves seemed visibly angered, but she turned back around to the animals she’d brought along.

‘What do you think she meant by that?’

Gowon asked me, but I didn’t hear her I just watched the way Yves held the bird close to her face; knowing that I would never be without her for the rest of my life. When night had finally crawled upon us we stood arms stretched upon to the sky, circling the bonfire, Yves spoke so boldly it was as if she was born to recite this very spell. I don’t remember much after that I blacked out so quickly, my last thoughts of her, my only thoughts ever being of her.


	9. One Lonely Witch

* * *

 

_ Olivia _

The air was thick and the clouds hung above me, threatening me with their dark grey anger. I felt raindrops hit my skin sharply and the cold made me gasp in shock. I ran home as fast as I could before the tears stained my cheeks and flung myself across my bed; balling the sheets in my fists feeling the ache of betrayal eat me whole. It was sometime before I got up, the moon was high, singing her melancholic song to me and I reached a hand out to her; holding her in my palm. I’d lost the first ever coven I’d had. It was like a dull ache in my soul that told me they’d completed a spell without me, forever severing he ties between us. Those silver strings that bound us together from earth to the heavens and there was nothing I could do about it. The more I thought about how they were all so willing to follow Yves, how she was so desperate to cross into dark magic, it unsettled me in a way that lying in bed couldn’t fix and so I got up and went into my back garden. I sat under the tree Dad had made me plant in memory of Mum when we first moved here; it was a willow – her favourite. The midnight air swiftly flew through the hanging branches and I felt her voice calm me. It was better this way, I knew magic wasn’t to be toyed with and although I enjoyed having friends, this is what I was used to; what I was meant for, keeping my mothers fire lit within me. I would forsake all magic for that.

The next few weeks were hellish, they ignored me in class, in the halls and eventually the whole school seemed to not notice I existed. When the teachers started forgetting to call my name in class I’d figured some charm was in the works; their laughter so painful in my head was worse though. I’d had hoped Chuu would have been the most understanding one, maybe she would miss me, remember that we were sister’s, but she never once looked at me even when Yves would corner me in the school bathrooms and force me to see – Things. Eventually I just stopped going to school. Their torment didn’t end there though, I’d get letters in the mail and when I opened them some form of horrific trickery would fall upon me, so I stopped answering the door. They even managed to get into my room one night, scrawling ‘Traitor’ all over the walls in paint that never came off. Every form of protective charm or spell I cast seemed redundant and my anger and frustration grew so I threw all my tools away, I cleared the alter from my room and returned it to the normal desk it was before. Life felt more like a void than the treasure my Mother had always told me about.

That was until I was in the garden, tending to my Dad’s plants when I felt her behind me, my back tensed, and I rose stiffly turning to see her face, ashamed.

‘Hi.’

She didn’t look at me, avoided my eyes in anyway she could; focusing mostly on the hydrangeas by my legs. Her hair was the first thing I noticed those dark locks had long gone, replaced with soft yellow tendrils that clung to the back of her head in a high ponytail. She seemed shy under my gaze and good, so she should.

‘Uhm. Your Dad let me through,’

She was stumbling over her words a little in a way I’d never heard her speak before, she turned her Bambi eyes towards the back of the garden in what I assumed was where she’d met my Dad. I just waited for the inevitable. I thought about how I must look right now to her, thinner, hair half up half down falling from the loose ribbon I’d used to tie it up. Wearing a long-flowered skirt, dirt up to my elbows; Dad had smiled when he saw me, and I felt the warm flush on my cheeks thinking about how I probably looked just like my Mum right now.

‘What do you want Gowon?’

She startled a little because my voice came out strong and hostile, she fiddled with the hem of her top and took a small step towards me.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘What?’

I blinked several times and saw her this time actually meet my eyes, hers were cloudy and the more I looked at her the less she looked like herself. I felt a kind of sadness in me as she stood there frailer, greyer, weaker than the loud bubbly girl I’d first met.

‘What we did, it wasn’t right. I’m sorry Olivia.’

I felt the red draw to my cheeks and my chest clench, but I held back the tears, there was no way she would see me cry, not now. I shrugged her off.

‘Sure, you are. What’s weeks of torture.’

I began to pack up the gardening tools ready to leave her and this conversation behind.

‘We were only supposed to scare you a little, make you regret leaving us. You shouldn’t have left us Liv.’

‘It’s not like you gave me any choice.’

Gowon looked down then and sighed, I felt the world crash down in that sigh.

‘But then Yves said it wasn’t enough, she was going to make you see that she was a better witch than you. She said that if we didn’t do what she said it wouldn’t just be you she came after.’

I tensed again then, anger and confusion rolling down my whole body.

‘Why are you here Gowon?’

She took another step towards me, clasping her hands to the point her knuckles started turning white and when she looked back up at me next there were puddles in her eyes.

‘It’s Chuu. Something’s really, really wrong.’


	10. A Weed That Must Be Dug

* * *

 

_ Gowon _

Olivia didn’t hesitate, she dropped her tools, picked up her skirt in small handfuls and ran into her house. I stood in the garden unsure of whether to follow or not, I didn’t think she’d exactly want me as a house guest right now, but I felt awkward waiting alone. My nerves had slightly eased but the guilt I felt when I saw her face, patches of dirt rubbed across it, still had my stomach in knots. After about ten minutes when I was starting to think she wasn’t coming back out, that my apology meant nothing and the weeks of torture we’d put her through would never be forgotten. Not that I expected them too, I had spent ages trying to get myself to come and see her; feeling embarrassed and ashamed in my part of the pain she’d undergone. A door flung open and Olivia walked straight past me; she’d changed into a pair of jeans and her hair was down, straight like usual. She didn’t wait for me to say anything but flung a backpack over her shoulder and we were walking out of her gate and down the winding driveway.

‘Where are we going?’

I hesitated and rushed forward trying to catch up with her pace. Her brows were furrowed as she stormed down the streets, round corners and straight into town.

‘Olivia, can you tell me what’s going on?’

She stopped quickly then almost making me bump into her and I stumbled back a little, she flew around to face me, black strands of velvet hair hitting her face in all directions.

‘We’re going to clean up this mess you lot started.’

I swallowed hard and she turned back round and continued walking towards what I had finally figured was the Wiccan shop. I didn’t know why she would be coming here and part of me wished she wasn’t, we hadn’t exactly been welcoming towards the woman who worked there. Again, shame burnt my cheeks, but I shook my head and carried on walking by Olivia’s side in silence. We stopped outside the large oak door, the ornate ‘closed’ sign hung dramatically making me sigh in frustration. What would be doing now? Olivia didn’t seem too worried she just stood seemingly waiting for something, I was about to reach out to her when I heard something click. I looked up and saw the door open slowly and the tall woman from the shop stood draped in the dark of the inside. She looked at Olivia who looked back and then she cast her eyes upon me; examining me in relation to Liv. She didn’t say anything and just disappeared back inside before we followed, locking the door behind us.

‘I’m glad you’ve come to your senses,’

The woman said softly looking at me, I glanced at Olivia who was looking at neither of us but in the direction of the back of the shop.

‘Please, come through.’

The woman led us past the tables of tools and displays of other magical ingredients, her burgundy satin cloak seamlessly flowing by her legs. I felt the beads of the curtain crash upon my forehead, still confused as to why we were here and what we were going to do about Chuu and Yves. Incense hit my nose violently and as I scrunched my face in on itself I could feel the warmth of candlelight before I even opened my eyes back up. Olivia had moved and was now kneeling in the centre of a small circle drawn with what I presumed was salt, the woman moved round to face her, she knelt with so much grace as if wisdom ran through her limbs and I found myself being drawn to them and taking my place in the circle.

‘Tell me what’s happened, clearly.’

The woman had her eyes closed, her hands placed on the tops of her thighs, Olivia turned to me then and nodded for me to speak. I felt the lump in my throat so thick I didn’t think any noise would make it out.

‘Our friend, Chuu, she’s in hospital.’

Olivia turned sharply to meet my gaze then and I felt the confusion and rage pour out of her making my heart sad.

‘There was a terrible accident, she – our other friend Yves,’

At the mention of Yves, the woman’s face stiffened, and she nodded with recognition.

‘Chuu isn’t the type to do something like this out of all of us she’s the most academic you have to understand but, she’d cast a love spell of sorts, but I don’t think it worked because Yves didn’t feel anything. And god, Chuu started to change, she was irrational and irritable and if you knew her you’d know how unlike her that is. It didn’t stop there though she would follow Yves everywhere, it consumed her. Yves finally had enough, and they fought, it was awful. Chuu said that if Yves wouldn’t love her back then there was no point….’

I couldn’t make myself say the words although I knew they had to be heard.

‘There was no point in her living and that’s when she…’

I lowered my head seeing the blood dark against her soft skin, hearing my screams and the deafening silence of Yves who just stood there, who just watched as Chuu fell to the floor begging for her touch, her love. The feel of their eyes upon me brought my head back up and for the first time in what felt like forever I saw Olivia, my friend Olivia and she tried to force a comforting smile, but the worry got the best of her and she turned away from me once again.

‘The spell worked exactly as it was supposed to.’

The woman said so placidly and I looked at her then, really looked at her, the wrinkles by her eyes more evident than before and the ink blotches on her fingertips, all of it made me angry.

‘Excuse me?’ I said.

‘There are rules and she broke one of them, forbidden magic comes with a cost just as I’m sure you are aware black magic does.’

I felt my cheeks burn with shame.

‘We haven’t got time for a lesson, we need to stop Yves now.’

Olivia finally spoke up, her voice boomed in this small back room, the candlelight making her look older than she was. The woman nodded and then she pulled a small brown book from beside her and twisted the red frayed ribbon between her fingers as she opened it up to where it was marked.

‘Your friend is powerful, I believe she has made a deal of sorts with the Great Being,’

‘What do you mean? How do you know?’

I asked as the woman began to scan the contents of the book, placing smaller ingredients in the centre of the circle and now that I looked closely it was obvious that she was placing them to create a pentagram.

‘I’ve been watching her for some time.’

Me and Olivia both looked at each other in surprise.

‘Nothing more than a trivial witches’ trick,’

The woman finished up what she was doing and then she looked straight up at us and I swear I felt my body run cold and then hot, she took my hand and Olivia’s in the other and then she gestured for us to do the same. She breathed deeply twice and then made us do the same, telling us we needed our minds clear no matter how we were feeling.

‘Are you girls really prepared for this?’

‘I’m the one who brought this power to her and I have to be the one to undo what she’s done.’

Olivia tightened her grip on my hand and the woman smiled a little.

‘She will feel it when it happens, and she will come, are you prepared to stop this in any way necessary?’

This time she was asking me, my heart raced as I searched her eyes for the right answer, for what was about to happen. My cluelessness starting to make me panic but then I thought of Chuu, of sweet, innocent Chuu and what all this magic had done to her, what Yves had done to her and so I nodded, knowing that if it came down to it I would stop Yves no matter what.

‘Then we must begin and quickly.’


	11. Final Confrontation

* * *

_ Yves _

I didn’t need them anyway, they slowed me down, held me back from my true potential. It was unfortunate what happened to Chuu but the weak usually destroy themselves and she’d always been weaker than me. I sat on the balcony of my new home, the place I’d got myself, no thanks to my useless mother. After my stepdad’s ‘accident’ she was a wreck, and although I could get by without her I have some respect for where I came from. So here she was, drinking away my sacrifices, neglecting me again for something shiny. I dangled my feet out into the night air, watching as the tiny lights below danced with everyday life. Knowing that any second I could just fall off right into the air, feel the cool breeze hit my cheeks and for a second feel infinite. No one understood what it was like to know you were meant for more, to know you were stronger than everyone else on this god-awful planet, but you lacked the skills, the essentials to prove it. Every day of my life had been so painfully mundane, and now that I had more power there would be nothing and no one to get in my way.

I swung my legs back round and went into my room throwing myself onto my bed, I turned my hand to my face and stared at the black smudge in the centre, it looked just like a bruise but deeper and darker. It had spread since id last checked and was getting bigger every day, soon enough my whole hand would be covered in it. I ran a thumb over the patch and felt a little tinge in my chest followed by a sound that I could only describe as some sort of singing. It was just a small price to pay for the magic I know possessed and I could always wear gloves. I sighed and rolled back over onto my front, tapping the glass of my small green scaled friend that lived on my bedside table before reaching into my bottom draw and taking out a large journal. It was decorated with clippings and drawings, cuttings out and massive script, it was where I kept all my plans and desires. I flicked through the pages feeling a sense of pride knowing most had been accomplished and the rest were within reach, when I felt it – like a stab in the heart, I felt it.

I gasped loudly and clutched my chest feeling a searing burn inside me, I sat panting on my bed for what felt like forever, slowly succumbing to the pain. My head raced as the stabbing heat would come and go and every time it came back it was stronger forcing me to stand up, even in the small light of the lamp I could see that my whole entire hand was black now. It was as if it was made up of ash and any movement would cause it to blow away and forever be no more. I shoved my sleeve down longer past my hand to cover it and ran to a mirror; beads of sweat trickled all the way down to my nose yet still I was panting and still the pain was there. Though this time it was more of a pull, a sharp tug like something had me hooked, like a fish being reeled in, I was overcome with helplessness and nothing made me angrier. I stumbled and pushed everything off my dressing table into a heap on the floor, my hands were shaking and when I looked up into my reflection, I wasn’t there. There was just a mass of dark cloud, I took my shaking hand and waved across but still there was no reflection. Then the ringing changed and what replaced it made my blood boil. There was chanting, it was repetitive, and its tone sent my head into a hurricane of pain and when I looked up at the mirror again, I saw them. The reflection showed me them sat in a circle, holding hands the way we all used to when we would cast, and I knew what they were doing. I slammed my fists on the dressing table and let out a gurgled scream; feeling my head burst as their voices in chant filled my brain. They couldn’t get away with this; they wouldn’t. I wasn’t that easy to stop.

_ Olivia _

I felt a strong rush of electricity between us and saw the flames of the candles grow as they flickered in the visible breeze. We felt connected; more than just our hands joined us, but our souls felt as if they were swirling around, entwining and creating a bigger force than us.

_‘You reap what you sow,_

_You reap what you sow,_

_Bring forth the devil inside,_

_Reveal what we know,_

_Truth is the power of All.’_

Together our voices rang like sweet music. Gowon tightened her grip on my hand and I felt her palms sweat; I couldn’t imagine how she must have been feeling, the betrayal she must have been terrified of. Our chanting began to quieten and slow as the woman leading let go of my hand and reached to her chest to pull out a long dark red crystal pendant, she brought it then to her lips, whispered something inaudible and began to spin it in a circle.

‘What’s that for?’

Gowon asked.

‘Protection.’

The woman said in her soft commanding voice, I felt a small shiver up my spine as worry began to finally overcome me, so far, I’d managed to keep hold of myself but with her doing this, I knew this was stronger than any magic I’d ever attempted before.

‘What exactly is going to happen? Yves will be okay right?’

Gowon shifted uncomfortably, her eyes searching the door in front of us; the air was still thick with magic, as if we were in the eye of a celestial storm. Just as the woman was finishing up her protection charm she suddenly stiffened and before I could ask what was wrong a loud crash caused us to jump.

‘Don’t break the circle!’

The woman shouted grabbing a hold of our hands again as she started to recite the spell once again. My heart was racing so fast, its beat too loud for me to hear myself but my mouth moved on its own and the words that came out joined the other two in the familiar chorus.

‘Keep your minds clear, don’t let her in.’

I wasn’t quite sure what was meant by that but then that voice so cold, so calculated was now screeching dangerously loud. Yves was here. I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes but when Gowon gasped I looked up and the composed, elegant girl who had me intimidated was now wild and dark. Her hair was frazzled, her eyes seemed vacant and there were black patches and spots spreading around them all the way down to her arms as if the darkness was consuming her. It scared me to see what she had become but any doubts I had on doing this went out the window as she tried flying herself at us.

‘You stupid bitches!’

She screamed so blood curdling that I had to compose myself to keep the words still flowing from my mouth, from the corner of my eye I could see her hands and fists banging on something but there was nothing visible there.

‘Protection field, don’t lose focus!’

The woman had to yell over the sound of shouting and a breeze that had picked up and was now hurtling papers and objects around the room.

‘You think your pathetic little spell can stop me? I’m more powerful than you could ever imagine!’

Yves continued to wildly beat at the protection field, whatever we were doing was obviously working and we couldn’t stop now.  

‘Your mother had this chance, the Darkness told me, but she was weak something she’d obviously passed onto you. She didn’t deserve the power she had.’

I felt cold run through me and I snapped my head to see her smiling, a smile so big it looked inhumane, she cocked her head to the side her eyes begging me to come to her. I felt my body twitch, but Gowon squeezed my hand and when I turned to her she was looking at me with so much conviction that I felt strong.

‘When will this end? It’s killing her!’ she shouted over to the woman.

‘We’re bringing the darkness out of her, revealing her inner self, we’re almost there.’

Yves began to beg, to whimper and then he would flip and swear at us, curse us, threaten us and eventually she collapsed into a heap on the floor. It looked as if she was a contorted, her bones sticking out in different directions and my heart fell to my stomach. I was about to get up when the woman put her hand up to stop me.

‘It isn’t over yet.’

She got up slowly and walked to Yves, placing a small cross to her head as she began to talk in soft whispers, I couldn’t hear what she was saying but Yves began to groan and then there was silence. So much silence it was deafening, I looked to Gowon whose eyes were filling with tears, she scurried forward, and the woman let her see Yves. I was frozen, my body wouldn’t move, whether it was because I was exhausted or because I couldn’t believe what had happened, but it wasn’t until the woman placed her hand on my shoulder that I felt myself back on Earth.

‘It’s over my child,’

Her smile was small, but it brought me comfort enough.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Most likely. She will need to have several cleansing ceremonies and I doubt she should ever try magic again.’


	12. The Craft

* * *

_Olivia_

 After the ambulance left, we took to cleaning up the chaos that was left behind. Gowon was a mess watching Yves be lifted and taken to hospital that I called her mum to pick her up, I promised I’d call her in the morning, but she didn’t look at me. I was sweeping away broken glass when the woman came up behind me, her presence was calming to my nerves and the thoughts in my head that raced and crashed against one another.

‘Are you okay?’

She asked, taking the broom from my hand.

‘As okay as I can be I guess!’

She turned to me and held out her hands in that familiar and caring way that made me trust her, trust this woman that knew my Mum, that had always been looking out for me, but I’d never really known. I wanted to just walk into her arms and stay there where it was safe.

‘I realise I haven’t said thank you yet, so thank you.’

It felt silly and miniscule, but she smiled sweetly, and I blushed.

‘There’s no need to thank me, I’d promised your mother I would watch out for you and I’m doing just that.’

‘I’ve never even asked your name.’

I’d realised and felt even more ridiculous than I had before, all this time this woman had helped me through something so hard and I didn’t even know who she was; I groaned a little feeling a stress stomach ache coming on. She shook her head softly smiling to herself, the grey threads in her hair shining in the light of the shop.

‘My name’s Camellia Hye. It’s a pleasure to meet you Olivia.’

 

* * *

* * *

 

A few weeks brought with it time to heal; the wounds of Yves torture were slightly fading, and I began to trust myself and my powers more. Gowon had begged me to forgive her after that evening; she hadn’t needed to, I’d forgiven her the moment she squeezed my hand tight and put all her trust in me. Our friendship was still rocky though but like all broken things it needed fixing and we were trying our hardest to do that with the tools we had. We had visited Chuu whilst she stayed in hospital, when we told her what had happened to her and Yves, she looked exhausted. After her accident her parents were frantic and moved her to a new city and school, it was hard saying good bye, but we visit her every weekend and watching her flourish and become the wonderful soft souled girl she was when I met her makes all of this somewhat worth it. Yves was taken to a psychiatric centre; her mother didn’t put up much of an argument when the doctors came around to sign her off. We have yet to visit her, but she sends us letters and it’s good to see she’s getting better, maybe one day she’ll return here, and we can sit together – maybe.

I was cashing up the till at the end of my shift when the familiar chime of the door sang and without lifting my head I let them know we were closed.

‘Well duh,’

Gowon jibed, her blonde hair swaying at her back, she turned to lock the door and flip the closed sign over before coming up to me.

‘I can’t believe Camellia’s got you working a double shift before lesson.’

I shrugged my shoulders.

‘One of us has to come up with the cash if we’re going to England with Chuu next year,’

I locked the cash box up and called into the back to let Camellia know Gowon was here, who by the way was looking more nervous than usual was flipping through one of the Celtic history books, her eyes glazed over.

‘Spit it out,’

I said, tugging on her arm, she chewed on her bottom lip before looking back at me.

‘I got a request form to see Yves.’

I stilled. Letting go of her arm and walking back to the counter.

‘I don’t know what to do with it.’

She was searching me for answers, but I had none. Did we want to see the girl that almost destroyed us? Who destroyed herself? After all, she was our best friend, she was once good, she probably was now. Before I could get caught up in my thoughts the clanging of the bead curtain told me it was time to go, I walked to Gowon and took her hand.

‘We’ll decide later. But we better go, you know how she is if we’re late.’

I rolled my eyes and she giggled a little. We walked into the back and Camellia had set up the black board we’d been using, her hair was tied in loose tendrils that feel down her neck which meant we’d be doing something practical.

‘Today ladies, we’ll be trying levitation.’

I felt Gowon jump with excitement beside me, clapping as she did so, and I finally felt good; knowing that this was the path my Mother would have want me to go down, knowing my road to magic was just ahead of me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end!
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed reading this fic, thank you so much for doing so! please leave comments it really helps me motivation wise!
> 
> if you'd like follow me on my new twit @melncholymoons ♡♡♡


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